e-Mail
Print
In the weeks following the magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 13, we have received reports from many organizations about what they are doing and what they need to continue to provide aid to the people of Haiti. We have also received requests from many structural engineering professionals who would like to contribute to the relief and rebuilding efforts. The following are some of the organizations and individual structural engineering efforts that are underway.
To ensure your personal safety and to ensure you are contributing to the relief efforts most effectively, please only volunteer with an organized group that is operating legally and working through proper diplomatic channels. Thank you to Charlene Hails, P.E., S.E., and Project Manager with MRP Engineering , LLC, for contributing many of the following resources.
Please contact Jennifer Goupil, P.E., with more resources or firm reports at jgoupil@stagnitomedia.com.
>>American Red Cross
This organization accepts donations of many kinds. Learn all of the ongoing efforts to help in Haiti.
>>Center for Disease Control
Guidance for Relief Workers and Others Traveling to Haiti
This site provides information on the following: recommended vaccines, insect and airborne disease precautions, key items to bring, safety issues while in Haiti, dealing with psychological and emotional issues, and returning home
>>American Society of Civil Engineers
ASCE Disaster Assistance Volunteer Program
This press release describes ASCE's efforts to assist in Haiti including how to donate to Red Cross and how to enroll in the ASCE Disaster Assistance Volunteer Directory.
>>National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA)
NCSEA’s structural engineers are participating in the rescue efforts in Haiti
This press release issued by NCSEA describes the organization's approach to assisting those in need at the national level.
>>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Haiti Earthquake Clearinghouse
This site is a repository for EERI members to report on what they are doing in Haiti and what they have learned. The site contains many links where structural engineers
Update Regarding Haiti - Small Team in Field
This link describes the joint USGS-EERI reconnaissance team currently en route to Haiti. This team requires no further members.
Haiti Damage and Needs Assessment: EERI Partners with the World Bank in a Global Initiative
This link describes an initiative, called Operation GEO-CAN — which stands for Global Earth Observation — Catastrophe Assessment Network, that will estimate and classify building damage based on high resolution aerial imagery in areas severely affected by the earthquake, including Port-au-Prince. (This is a project that any engineer with spare time can get involved with. It involves using Google Earth to examine high-resolution aerial photographs to identify damaged buildings. It is an opportunity to provide much-needed aid without leaving one’s desk.)
>>Engineering Ministries International
Non-profit response team returns from Haiti
This link describes this organizations trip and future goals.
>>Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER)
Relief Efforts Underway for Haiti Earthquake Victims
Following the 7.0M earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, MCEER became involved in coordinating relief efforts. MCEER and the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) teamed up to dispatch a relief team of French-speaking structural engineers to evaluate the structural stability of hospitals and other crucial infrastructure in the earthquake-stricken region.
Haiti Earthquake Relief Mission
AIDG has launched a special fundraising campaign to cover the cost associated with the relief mission. Donations can be sent by check (please note "Haiti Structural Analysis Fund" or "Haiti Relief Fund” on check) to AIDG, P.O. Box 104, Weston, MA 02493 or donate by credit card online.
Virtual Disaster Viewer Used to Disseminate Images from Haiti Earthquake
Beginning on January 20, 2010, a World Bank-ImageCat-RIT airborne remote sensing data collection, disseminated by MCEER, began over the earthquake stricken regions of Haiti. The reconnaissance involves daily flights over a five day period to collect remote sensing imagery in the visible and infrared, as well as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) topography in the area around Port au Prince, Haiti. The data collected each day will be processed and made available through the Virtual Disaster Viewer on the MCEER website.
University of Buffalo earthquake engineer reports from Haiti
This link details how Andre Filiatrault, PhD, University at Buffalo civil engineering professor and director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), headquartered at the University of Buffalo, was appointed by the United Nations as its interim lead.
University of Buffalo leads mission to analyze structures in Haiti
This article describes this organization's initial trip to Haiti just days after the earthquake.
>>National Institute of Building Sciences
Institute Calls for Industry Participation to Assist Haiti
The Institute would like your assistance in the development of a tool kit for use in rebuilding Haiti. This link gives details on that effort.
>>Individual/Firm Accounts
Mark Pierepiekarz, P.E., S.E., President of MRP Engineering, LLC,
This site contains MRP team member accounts of their recent trip to Haiti, along with many images.
Read Mark's report detailing the seismic event and local conditions after the earthquake at the following link:
http://www.mrpengineering.com/images/MRP_Haiti_Earthquake_Flier.pdf
http://www.mrpengineering.com/images/MRP_Haiti_Earthquake_Flier.pdf
Steve Baldridge, S.E., President of Baldridge & Associates Structural Engineering, Inc.
The BASE team has documented damage to infrastructure/buildings and progress to recovery.
Steve's report from the field on Jan. 28:
"While there is high tech satellite and lidar reconnaissance being performed there is often need to improvise in the field. This is a stone plumb bob left from a previous team to monitor liquefaction settling in one corner of a medical clinic. We added some markings to measure any further sinking into the ground.
The dilemma in assessing the medical facilities is in trying to determine which is more dangerous, having patients outside in the elements or inside damaged buildings. It is not unusual to do an assessment with injured children around you or surgery going on, which makes the decision process more difficult."
